Job resources for transgender students

Resume building, interview preparation and cover letter writing are tough beasts to conquer to secure a job. However, there is a less frequently talked about but far tougher beast to conquer when job searching: workplace discrimination.

Yes, even in 2017 discrimination in the workplace on the basis of race, religion, sexuality, and in the case of today’s blog post, gender identity, is still a prominent issue.

Last year, the rate of unemployment for transgender individuals was triple the rate of the general population—at 15% compared to 7.5% for the general population–according to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS).

Of the 27,000 respondents for the NTDS, 27% reported not being hired for a position and 73% reported either being fired, passed up for a promotion or simply being harassed verbally or physically at work.

So obviously, there are still strides to be made. Nevertheless, there are resources available to help place transgender individuals with companies that will make them feel welcome and valued. Here’s a few:

360HR: This is a national job coaching firm that partners with employers to build culturally diverse workforces.

All you have to do is fill out an online application providing where you’re located, your resume, your LinkedIn URL (if you don’t have one you should sign up for one) and whether or not you’re able and willing to relocate for a job and 360HR will help find the right fit for you.

Out for Work (OFW): OFW helps students cultivate and enhance their skills, explore career options, master job search techniques and strategies and research employment opportunities.” Interested applicants can access their job boards for free here.

Out & Equal Workplace Advocates: Like 360HR, Out & Equal works with companies—and government agencies—to provide employers with the proper training to ensure lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees feel welcomed and valued by their employers. Individuals searching for equal opportunity employers can visit the organization’s job board here.

Transgender Employment Program (TEP): The TEP operates out of San Francisco but has regional offices across the United States. They offer career coaching, job search support, leadership training, community networking opportunities and legal aid.

Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index: Every year the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), which provides legal counsel to those that have experienced workplace discrimination, publishes the Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a tool for measuring best equality and inclusion corporate policies and practices.

By evaluating the following criteria the HRC is able to rate employers of Fortune 5000 companies on a percent scale of 0-100—with 0 being the lowest score an employer could receive.

Internal Revenue Service 990 tax filings for business foundations’ gifts to anti-LGBT groups

Court cases and allegations against the organization concerning discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

Reported cases of discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity reported to the HRC by individuals or unofficial LGBT groups.